From top: Barrister Garry O’Halloran and Finance Minister Michael Noonan
You may recall the foster home abuse case involving a woman referred to as Grace, in the media, and a recent interview Finance Minister Michael Noonan did with Richard Crowley about the case on RTÉ’s News At One.
During the interview, Mr Crowley asked Mr Noonan about his knowledge of the concerns raised in relation to abuse, and a letter the foster father had sent to Mr Noonan in 1996 – when he was Minister for Health.
Further to this…
Journalists Daniel McConnell and Fiachra Ó Cionnaith, in this morning’s Irish Examiner, report that a former Fine Gael councillor, barrister Garry O’Halloran – who was a former chair of the South Eastern Health Board – claims Mr Noonan literally ran away from a meeting to discuss concerns about sex abuse involving children.
They further reported that Mr O’Halloran quit Fine Gael because of Mr Noonan’s actions.
They reported:
In a statement to the Irish Examiner, Mr O’Halloran said at the 1997 Fine Gael Ard Fheis, Mr Noonan had arranged to meet him and some abuse victims.
“We arrived, he kept us waiting for hours, eventually I spotted him leaving the stage and heading for a door about 40m away, I was about 60m away and started to follow him in the direction of the door,” Mr O’Halloran has said. “He spotted me and ran, I then ran but he got to the door and when I arrived I was met with a cloud of black smoke as his garda driver sped away,” he added.
Mr O’Halloran and his delegation then met junior minister Austin Currie who concluded there was no substance to the claims of abuse.
“I went to the taoiseach, John Bruton, who said it was a matter for the minister for health. When I got no place, I then submitted by resignation from FG,” he added.
In addition…
Yesterday, the Irish Examiner first attempted to put queries about this matter to the Fine Gael press office, but we were directed to the Department of Finance.
The Department of Finance said as this was a health matter, they could not comment.
A Department of Health spokesman said he could not speak for Mr Noonan and referred us back to the Department of Finance, but also suggested we speak to the Department of Children.
At the time of going to print, no comment was forthcoming from Mr Noonan.
There you go now.
Michael Noonan ‘didn’t want to know about sex abuse claims’ (Irish Examiner)
Pics: Leah Farrell/Rollingnews and Law Library
Doubt he can run fast.
He was a bit fitter in 1996, but he can still move. He hit a brisk auld pace from my door a few years back when his waffle about the bank bailout was thrown back in his face.
The more you know.
Best to corner him you say?
If you put a biscuit under a box held up by a stick and wait around the corner, I reckon you could get him
He’s dangerous when cornered. Flush him into a net is a better option.
He ran…i thought snakes slitherd.
Garry O’Halloran used to make a big deal about travelers rights (to go to the pub); I was under the impression that’s why he left FG. That and generally being a bit of a head the ball
FG man yourself then mayor?
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/finance-minister-michael-noonan-admits-he-knew-about-foster-home-abuse-allegations-twenty-years-ago-34423839.html
Just shows the self-serving depravity of Irish media that this has been effectively buried.
How is this cowardly cretin not being taken to task by anyone, at the very least being questioned by the Gardai?
“Just shows the self-serving depravity of Irish media that this has been effectively buried.”
The story is in a national newspaper today. It is on broadsheet today because of this story. This came out via the media. How exactly has the media ‘effectively buried’ it?
The story appeared 2 weeks ago with hardly a mention that one of the governments most senior politicians knew about the rape of disabled children and did absolutely nothing about it.
Are you having a laugh???
So, it ran in a few publications and online a couple of weeks ago, and is still getting coverage today.
Hardly buried….
I don’t understand how anybody thinks a minister should work.
Should a minister really be responsible for individually investigating cases of child abuse?
If you have suspected child abuse, you need to go to the Guards, no?
In a modern non-banana republic I’d be fairly certain that’d resign the second the ‘story’ came out.
But obviously things like complicity don’t matter too much in this shytehole?
*they’d
Personally, I don’t want ministers to be carrying out individual investigations of child abuse cases.
They’ve enough to be doing.
Of course they have…. making up promises not to keep and burying their head when the flak starts. And then wiggling out of it….!
Unfortunately for the abuse victims involved Noonan is not a member of the SF party, if he was, then the red carpet would be rolled out to the victims and all doors opened. This story does not fit into the establishment media agenda, more’s the pity.
So Adams and the establishment parties (more so) have now covered up child abuse. They cancel each other out, yeah?
On a general point, can anyone recall a single instance where a Government Minister has been held accountable for his/her actions or inactions?
Power corrupts.
What did Noonan know and when, if he has held public office and was made aware
of the allegations, did he take any action if not, he must be held accountable
Its not the first time in his political life that he come in for attention, what about
his handling of the Heptatis Cases.
No one is hel accountable for anything in this country but hopefully this is all coming to an end.
So no one knew about clerical abuse going back through the decades ?
Corrupt politicians caught red handed fiddling expenses,taxes,off shore accounts etc and still in positions of power or retired with massive pensions..
The mind boggles..Gardai powerless or corrupt!
This country needs a massive shake up.
The list is endless